Black Boston

The power of Dorothy Height’s words, “I want to be remembered as one who tried,” strikes at the heart of Boston’s Black legacy. We are here because of all the ancestors who tried, those whose triumphs were blocked, those who persisted and those who succeeded.

Harriet Hayden and her husband Lewis Hayden were a Black Boston power couple in the community of abolitionists and equal right activists centered in Beacon Hill in the 1860s.

As we continue to honor our heritage during Black History Month, we should use these brief four weeks to remember the historical impact of famous Black Americans from Boston.

Today, we’re in Nubian Square. We’re standing on the corner of Malcolm X Boulevard and Washington Street, right in front of the “Faces of Dudley” mural on the side of Silver Slipper Cafe, a neighborhood staple.

Boston’s Black population is more diverse than much of the United States, according to a new report, “Great Migration to Global Immigration: A Profile of Black Boston,” released April 6.